Methods and systems for quantitative monitoring of in vivo tumor oxygenation

1 . A method for monitoring in vivo tumor oxygenation in a patient, the method comprising:

inserting at least one oxygen sensor unit, which comprises a catheter and a first quantity of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen, into a first selected subvolume of a tumor located within the patient;

using magnetic resonance (MR) to assess an MR property of the at least one oxygen sensor unit; and

quantifying an oxygen level in the first selected subvolume of the tumor, based on the assessed MR property and a calibration curve;

wherein the first quantity of the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen (i) is disposed and secured on an outer surface of the catheter, or (ii) is disposed and secured in an interior volume of the catheter when a portion of the outer surface of the catheter is oxygen permeable or comprises a path for oxygen diffusion, and

wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen comprises a liquid phase silicone dispersed in a chemically cross-linked silicone elastomer matrix.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the MR property is a MR relaxation time (T1) of protons in the at least one oxygen sensor unit.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the catheter comprises an oxygen-permeable annular tube in which the first quantity of the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen is disposed and secured, and the annular tube comprises (i) a side wall that is substantially impermeable to oxygen, and (ii) one or more apertures through a distal end region of the sidewall through which oxygen can diffuse to reach the solid-state contrast agent.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the catheter comprises a rigid body having the outer surface onto which the first quantity of the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen is disposed and secured, the rigid body including an internal channel configured to receive a radiation source and/or to accept a coil for making an MR measurement.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the catheter of the at least one oxygen sensor unit comprises multiple, discrete quantities of the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising inserting a second oxygen sensor unit into a second selected subvolume of the tumor, the first and second subvolumes being different volumes from one another, wherein the second oxygen sensor unit comprises a second quantity of the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the second oxygen sensor unit comprises a second catheter on or in which the second quantity of the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen is fixed.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the catheter is an annular tube having an internal channel extending therethrough dimensioned to receive (i) a radiation source and/or (ii) a coil for making a MR measurement.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

magnetic resonance imaging is used to assess a MR relaxation time (T1) of protons in the at least one oxygen sensor unit;

the quantifying of the oxygen level in the first selected subvolume of the tumor is based on the assessed MR relaxation time and the calibration curve; and

the quantified oxygen level in the first selected subvolume of the tumor is used to select or adjust delivery of a high dose rate brachytherapy to the tumor.

10 . A method of treating a solid tumor in a patient, the method comprising:

selectively placing a plurality of oxygen sensor units, comprising a catheter and a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen, directly into the tumor or tissues surrounding the tumor;

selectively placing a plurality of radiation source catheters directly into the tumor or tissues surrounding the tumor to deliver high dose rate brachytherapy; and

measuring oxygen levels about the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen, using MRI to assess an MR relaxation time (T1) of protons in the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen, wherein said measuring is conducted before, during, and/or after the high dose rate brachytherapy;

wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen (i) is disposed and secured on an outer surface of the catheter, or (ii) is disposed and secured in an interior volume of the catheter when a portion of the outer surface of the catheter is oxygen permeable or comprises a path for oxygen diffusion, and

wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen comprises a liquid phase silicone dispersed in a chemically cross-linked silicone elastomer matrix.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the dose of the high dose rate brachytherapy is adjusted based on a measured (i) hypoxia of a tumor sub-volume, (ii) higher than average oxygen content of a tumor sub-volume, to be less in the tumor sub-volume than an average dose for the tumor, or (iii) lower than average oxygen content of a tumor sub-volume, to be more in the tumor sub-volume than an average dose for the tumor.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the dose of the high dose rate brachytherapy is adjusted based on the measured hypoxia of the tumor subvolume, and the adjustment comprises altering a relative position or time of a radiation source within one or more of the plurality of radiation source catheters, in order to increase the radiation dose in the tumor sub-volume in which hypoxia is measured.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the patient has been diagnosed with cervical cancer, prostate cancer, endometrial cancer, or primary vaginal cancer, and wherein the solid tumor is associated with the diagnosed cancer.

14 . A medical device for monitoring in vivo tissue oxygenation comprising:

a catheter having at least a distal end portion configured for insertion into tissue within a patient; and

one or more units of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen sensing,

wherein the catheter comprises (i) an oxygen-permeable annular tube in which the one or more units of the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen sensing are disposed and secured, (ii) an annular tube in which a portion is oxygen permeable in which the one or more units of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen sensing are disposed and secured, (iii) an outer surface onto which the one or more units of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen sensing are fixed and secured, or (iv) a combination of (i), (ii), and (iii), and

wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen comprises a liquid phase silicone dispersed in a chemically cross-linked silicone elastomer matrix.

15 . The medical device of claim 14 , which has two or more units of the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen sensing and the two or more units are spaced apart from one another by at least 1 mm.

16 . A system for treating a solid tumor in a patient comprising:

an alignment template having a plurality of holes; and

two or more oxygen sensor units, wherein each oxygen sensor unit (i) comprises one or more units of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen sensing, (ii) is a catheter having at least a distal end portion configured for insertion into tissue within a patient, and (iii) is configured for passage through a respective one of the plurality of holes;

wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen (i) is disposed and secured on an outer surface of the catheter, or (ii) is disposed and secured in an interior volume of the catheter when a portion of the outer surface of the catheter is oxygen permeable or comprises a path for oxygen diffusion, and

wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen comprises a liquid phase silicone dispersed in a chemically cross-linked silicone elastomer matrix.

17 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising:

one or more applicators, wherein each applicator (i) is configured to deliver a radiation source, (ii) has at least a distal end portion configured for insertion into tissue within the patient, and (iii) is configured for passage through a respective one of the plurality of holes.

18 . A method for monitoring in vivo tumor oxygenation in a patient, the method comprising:

inserting at least one oxygen sensor unit, which comprises a catheter and a first quantity of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen, into a first selected subvolume of a tumor located within the patient;

using MR to assess a MR relaxation time of protons in the at least one oxygen sensor unit;

determining a quantitative reference point for a qualitative oxygen evaluation method; and

determining, based at least in part on the quantitative reference point, quantitative oxygen levels in one or more subvolumes of the tumor measured with the qualitative oxygen evaluation method;

wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen (i) is disposed and secured on an outer surface of the catheter, or (ii) is disposed and secured in an interior volume of the catheter when a portion of the outer surface of the catheter is oxygen permeable or comprises a path for oxygen diffusion, and

wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen comprises a liquid phase silicone dispersed in a chemically cross-linked silicone elastomer matrix.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the qualitative oxygen evaluation method is blood oxygen dependent MRI based or positron emission tomography based.